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US Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday
strongly criticized Germany at NATO's 70th anniversary gathering, saying the ally's level of defense spending and work with Russia on a gas pipeline were "simply unacceptable."

"Germany must do more. And we cannot ensure the defense of the West if our allies grow dependent on Russia," Pence told a forum as part of two days of alliance events in Washington.

"It is simply unacceptable for Europe's largest economy to continue to
ignore the threat of Russian aggression and neglect its own self-defense and our common defense," Pence said.